Monday, December 21, 2015

32 - A Savior is Born

Email address (preferred):
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net 

Mission address:
 Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
 California Long Beach Mission
 6500 E Atherton St.
 Long Beach, CA 90815


We have met quite a few people and a ton of new investigators for this week to teach and visit using A Savior is Born, it has been so neat! It never ceases to amaze me how a short 2 minute video changes the hearts of people we meet. Most of this week has been spent contacting on the streets and knocking doors.

We missed out on service due to moving. Our special downstairs neighbor finally made it too difficult to live on top of so we did ourselves both a service by moving just down the street. I have found that I'm not the greatest fan of moving an entire apartment.... Last couple times it was just my items into an already existing on. Our new one is almost exactly the same, only squeakier in different areas, better condition than the last, and brand new soft carpet. It also has us sharpening our parallel parking skills vs the other, which is the downside, but upside is we have peace and quiet finally. That last one is the best upside!

Debbie was feeling better this week so we sang some Christmas songs and other songs that my companions Sister Miller and Skelton like using for teaching in lessons. Her husband seemed more open and honest about changing and going to church one day hopefully soon, so that is super cool! I know that her example and baptism changed his heart and softened it. He even tries to teach his party buddies to come closer towards Christ in general, but got discouraged when they didn't want to like he did. He said to Debbie he is getting tired of the party life and wants to clean up, but needs time. He will come in his own time, and for now we just keep inviting.

Tiffany will be able to meet with us more often soon after her job lets her go for the season. She said it was stressful and it made her realize that her answer from God to which she should do (school or work full time) is to do education. She looks forward to going back to school, and it's amazing to see how our investigators' understanding and application of what we teach into their life and the blessings they experience because of it. We also got to teach David her brother last time with the A Savior is Born video. He looks forward to studying the scriptures with us and tentatively going to church and lessons.

Miracle of the week is when we were almost done with walking for the hour before dinner IN POURING RAIN getting soaked (because we didn't expect rain and wasn't prepared for it). We knocked on a door and Aarti and Diya her daughter invited us right in. We only said we were missionaries, and we were shocked that she just said come in, sit down at the table, and have a drink of water. It was almost as if they were expecting us! She is Hindu and said how she grew up in India where in her town they had many religions and was open to learning. She even recounted all she knew of Christ and it was amazing how she knew more about Christ than most Christians we meet! She even said she prays to Jesus when her prayers to the many 3,000 plus gods they have doesn't work. When she moved to america for her nursing and doctorate degree, she asked her mom what was the god of America was, her mother told her Jesus. She she prays to him, mostly. She told us how she yearns to learn more of any religion and that our badges with the church of Jesus Christ caught her eye. I can't wait to come back and teach her, she is so nice! She reminds me of DP, so brilliantly smart and humble to learn. She even pointed to us a great potential just serve project, it may not happen due to it being through a service agency, but we will never know unless we try and work things out with them through just service.

We did our Christmas songs in choir on Sunday. O Come, O Come Emanuel was my favorite song we sang.

I also loved a story someone shared. I wish I could recount it as wonderfully as it was written, but here it is. Hopefully you can find the original somewhere out there in the wide internet.

This story is about an art collector who also shared it with his only family, his son. They would go and find, buy, and display only the finest and world famous art in their estate. War hit, and later, his son went to war causing his father to be worried about him each day. One day a telegram came, and left him with a broken and empty heart just before Christmas that year. He would be spending that and every Christmas after that alone. His son was shot after saving a fellow soldier on the way to a paramedic station. Latter, that soldier his son saved came to the man. He told of how brave and honorable his son was, doing all that he could to save others and constantly brought them to the paramedics. He also said how him and his father collected fine world famous art. He presented that man with a painting of his son. Strikingly accurate, but no where near world famous or notable. That man placed it prominently above the fireplace and spent his Christmas and many years after looking at his son's painting. It became more precious than any that he ever owned. When the man died, he held an auction as stated in his will, of all his artwork. Many collectors and museums came to bid on the prized collection. First up was the painting of the mans son. The auction fell silent, and even complaints arose in the crowd, to move on and stop wasting people's time with the painting. No one wanted it, until finally one neighbor said he would part with 10 dollars, for it was all he had for the painting, since he was a close friend to the family. Once, twice, and sold. The auctioneer then said that the action was all over. He explained that the will stated that the ENTIRE collection would be given to the winner of the painting of his son, because he held it higher than any other. Millions of dollars of art meant nothing more than that man's son.

Just like this man loves his son more than anything else, Heavenly Father loves his son, and those who choose him over anything else will gain everything. This Christmas season, choose Christ, and you will have happiness worth more than anything else material this world has to offer.

Monday, December 14, 2015

31 - Same nice area, moving yet again

Email address (preferred):
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net 

Mission address:
 Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
 California Long Beach Mission
 6500 E Atherton St.
 Long Beach, CA 90815


We finished our last exchange this week with Sister Foster and Apple. We found LOTS of great people to teach and put in the area book for some day later to teach. It was so neat to see the change in people's hearts when we showed the video A Savior is Born. One lady was VERY firm in her beliefs and was adamant she didn't need any more teachings of Christ because she was set. After talking for a while she shared her story of triumph over breast cancer and how we can use those trials to bring others to Christ, and she said she would be willing to watch our video. Then she even agreed to be visited by missionaries in her area. SUCH A CHANGE! I saw this many times as we shared the video and/or talked with them for a while. We also get invited back on occasion to be taught by Jehova's Witnesses, but that won't be happening ANY time soon.

I got to teach quite a few lessons to bilingual families who sadly we had to pass on to the Spanish or YSA wards. I know it's a big help to them finding people, but its sad when you have to pass them on. If things fall though on the Spanish or youth side, we do get them back for the English and family wards, though, but I hope that doesn't happen as fun as it would be to go back to teaching them. It was so neat to see the hope that our message did bring to people that were going through divorced parents or uneven parenting in the home. I love being sort of like Santa, bringing joy to all the world, only we get to do it with the gospel 365 days a year!

Tiffany got a job at Walmart seasonally, so we haven't had a chance to visit her, but other than the stress of a job and juggling child care, she is doing OK, but I know that she misses church and friends at church instead of being stuck at work or home. We did teach her father. He was drunk sadly, but we talked while waiting for Tiffany to come home. He had to be the most miserable person on this planet. He was so deep in drinking long term and sorrow of the world that he refused to see anything good in this world or life in general. He even talked about suicide like crazy till we got him off the subject (though people saying stuff like that aren't going to any time soon generally if at all). Talking with him, it's truly like how the video "A Life Without a Savior" (the sister video to a savior is born). One can't force someone to feel happy or accept the gospel. It's God's gift of free agency, but some days it's discouraging to see that there are people feeling like that every day. Thankfully we weren't there long at all, and the spirit being felt when we testified was the strongest I have ever felt in a lesson. We were loving but VERY bold in declaring the truth as it is.  I just hope one day he will snap out of it and fix himself up and believe in God once more.

Good news is that I'm staying in Buena Park!!!! Bad news is that we STILL will be moving due to one obnoxious downstairs neighbor who breaks all the rules and blames us for the darnedest things. She finally stampeded up the stairs (and we knew it was her because NOBODY goes up the stairs that loudly) and tried to get us to listen to her rant on and swear at us late at night. Because we ignored her, she called the police who were winking and almost laughing at the situation as they came to tell us to be quiet, then left us to listen to her rant. Because of that, and the fact that she WILL call till we get removed (or any future sad person who lives there because she is an unhappy person) we are moving. People like her need the gospel and learn to be happy with life and others. I thought this would be my first time without being moved and packing up, but I guess not... At least it's clean to move out.  The rest of this week will be spent partly looking for apartments hopefully nearby and moving. Just another interesting story for the mission book I suppose.

Other than that, its been an eventful and spirit filled week.

Monday, December 7, 2015

30 - Very merry at Knott's Berry...Farm gift shop

Email address (preferred):
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net 

Mission address:
 Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
 California Long Beach Mission
 6500 E Atherton St.
 Long Beach, CA 90815


Things are going very well this week. DEBBIE GOT BAPTIZED!!!!! Her family came too, except one son. She got a pretty dress to match her husband's light brown suit, and everything went real well. We got double booked for the font, somehow we all picked the EXACT same time to use the building as 3 other groups so we had to take turns..... and we thought we were avoiding everyone else. She also got confirmed the next day on Sunday and Mary was there too for her since she missed the baptism. It was her hope and dream to make it here despite all the initial opposition she received from family, and she hopes that by her example, her whole family will all join and get baptized too. She was glowing and so happy. One of her daughters even said afterwards that she seemed different and even smelled godly and like church. We all had a good time and we had refreshments made from a potluck of all the other events leftovers, ours and the other baptism going on that day.

Tiffany got a job and has been sick the last week so we haven't had a chance to see her much, but she still is determined to be baptized. The only thing in the way now is possibly work and her fear of water, but she is still stubbornly determined which is good.

We met Mario, a youth that lives a few houses down from Tiffany. He is a former who Sister Vandevelde and Skelton had to drop and give him some time. We went with Brother Dortheo's brother's son who is going to Hawaii on his mission in a couple months, so for now, he is going to lessons with us. They have become pretty good friends, and although he couldn't make this week to church, he said when we first saw him that he was wanting to come to Church again and take the lessons again as well. He said life was different without it and missed it. He has been taught for a LONG time, but slowly but surely making his way towards baptism.

Mary Lou is still interested in us visiting and having lessons. She has lots of questions still, but isn't quite ready to commit to a date to work towards for baptism, which is OK. She is so cute and funny. I like her a lot and am so glad we are still able to teach them since they live in the elders' area. Brother Dortheo and her make such a cute couple. I hope Brother Dortheo will pull through his medical troubles and is able to go off of dialysis soon, that is never any fun.

Mary Lou gave up literally everything to be with him and did so knowing in full she would have no job coming here, no car, no house, wouldn't be able to see her family or friends as much. She would even have to care for him until he gets better. That just shows devotion and dedication that is missing in marriages these days. It gives me hope that not all marriages end in divorce or should end in divorce like many people these days say they do.

The Dalogates are on vacation and so is Sister Fox, so we did some more knocking and street contacting this week and found some more potentials for the area book which is cool!
Our goal for this week is to find new people to teach and share the #A Savior is Born video with. My own goal is to find at least 1 person per street for the area book. I have been working hard at a new way to organize the book that is similar the the way I have previously done in Cerritos and Ocean view, so it's keeping my mind busy during my lunches and free time of the day. I don't mind so much, it really helps me know who we should focus on since planning time just isn't long enough to find people.

Today I went to the Knotts marketplace just outside the Knotts Berry Farm and had fun looking through the gift shops briefly. I got a couple small souvenirs for my time here in Buena park. I had been looking forward to going there since Sister George told me about how we can visit the shops on P-day and was happy to hear it's still OK to visit briefly there on P-days.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

29 - Temple day in LA. Rhymes

Email address (preferred):
rachael.clark@myldsmail.net 

Mission address:
 Sister Rachael Geniel Clark
 California Long Beach Mission
 6500 E Atherton St.
 Long Beach, CA 90815


I had a temple day today which was fun, this time we went to the 5:30 session with Sister Pumell, she is a sweet lady from England who is single now after her husband passed away. She always bakes traditional English food, its so neat! I love talking with her about her childhood in England and what life was like during the war and things like that. The other sisters fell asleep the whole car ride over, and hour and more ride to LA, such bad traffic. We had just over 100 missionaries from 3 zones going all at once, so we filled over half the massive rooms. (Elders out numbered us 10 to 1.)

This week was interesting with so many emergency visits to the Whittier sisters for my STL companions, I just came along for support and because I had to. Lots of broken down cars after dark and sadly Sister Lindow still remained sick after 5 weeks out in the mission with only a weeks worth of feeling well, so she had to leave for home. Sister Foster will get a new companion, so I hope I don't get ET'ed. I love Sister Foster, but I love the ward and people and companions I have now so much. That and I am tired of packing up each transfer and moving.

Thanksgiving was very fun. We had dinner with a Filipino family in the ward who cooked us a big dinner. We had fun afterwards talking for a while about thankfulness and also Sister Vandevelde loved discussing about her future career hopefully which is early childhood prevention therapy (I think its called), and with how she loves working with people, especially kids and teaching. The sister we had dinner with has an autistic girl who they shared stories about. She loves singing and is very good at it too, possibly due to her autism being high functioning. She would pop in and out of dinner and would show us her artwork. I was impressed with her skills considering all things. Most of the night was spent with her. The rest was briefly with Sister Fox and her family, then weekly planning (so we wouldn't be out later bothering families during dinner or out with all the Black Friday madness). The biggest chunk of that day we had a specialized training that day (so we wouldn't be sad missing family, possibly wasting time at members houses, or eating 3 or more dinners that day.... or that's what I could figure at least). We saw the new Christmas video they put out about a savior is born and also went over how to better use our time with finding. Lately the missionaries in general have been using referrals and the area book almost exclusively making many people get upset when you see them and you find out you're not the first set of missionaries that stopped by... instead you were the 3rd or even 7th to visit and they aren't to keen to listen to us. So we have been focusing on finding the hard way, by your own efforts. I have been wanting to do this for a while but none of my companions would agree to do it and said that it was a waste of time when we had more likely names to go by.... NOW its acceptable if president says it. Funny how that works out.

We in one day followed President Tew's advice and found from scratch the whole day almost and found 3 people on one street, each leading us to the next by way of referrals. That was so neat and showed what happens when you plan well, follow the spirit, and ask for referrals even from non members. Two of them we had to pass on to other missionaries due to language and age, but that just means we will get more in the future some other day in return.

We helped Sister Brown move more of her house slowly into boxes then next door. She gave us some clothing that didn't fit her and she had lots of excess of so that was fun to go through. Most doesn't fit me or anyone, but it can fit some of our investigators though who are in some need of skirts or kids clothing possibly. We also did service at the park Anaheim Medical Center and listened to beautiful Christmas and piano music and colored with patients and talked. It was way more fun this time because most were out coloring and wanted to talk, other times there is more rowdy music playing on the radio that we can't control and many people aren't around to talk to. I wish we could go there with the piano player every week.

Debbie is Super Close to baptism, Next Saturday for sure. Her husband might come and her oldest daughter who really wanted to come got the day off! She is so excited and is especially excited to visit the temple visitor center again during December. We now got permission to go with them with a member now! SO EXCITING! Not to any events, but to the visitors center which is something! She said she didn't want to leave the temple grounds or the center. She can't wait for next year when she can go into the temple itself.

Tiffany is also progressing real well. Still afraid of water, but she is determined and despite her families daily persecution for her joining and feeding her false things about the church, she still is going strong, and now we don't even have to ask her to come to church or activities, she just says shes going, and to also see her friends from the ward! I love it when they do things without us asking, it makes our work so much easier and for them, a much stronger testimony and love of church and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Dortheos are going well, and we even saw them at church. They are slowly but surely coming back into activity and towards baptism for the wife. They are so nice, especially with all the things they have had to go through.

It's been a good week so far, and my companions and I have had a much better week after shaking off the tiredness, lack of energy to work, and sorrow after Ana's death. It hit my companions harder than it hit me, but still it wasn't fun losing one of our most promising investigators. Mario made sure to mention us in his speech at the funeral and after a brief visit to see how he was doing after giving him some space to mourn, he seems just a little more promising to letting us come back and teach him. I know no matter what, Ana's being taught on the other side and must be loving it!